1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a digital processing apparatus wherein at least one function is executed by the processing means according to instructions from the operating means.
2. Description of the Related Art
Various digital processing apparatuses such as facsimile machines, digital photocopiers and digital multi-function machines (or hybrid machines) that integrate facsimile and digital copying functions have been developed. For example, the copying function in the digital copier or digital multi-function machine includes an electronic sorting option. Generally in such a case, a user inputs into the operating unit the number of copies to be made, and a document (a plurality of sheets of paper) loaded in an automatic document feeder (ADF) or on a book scanner is scanned-in and stored in a memory. After all the sheets of document have been stored in the memory, the scanned image of document is output on a copy paper in the amount of one page at a time. By repeating this action the specified number of times, the output (copy paper) is sorted into the specified number of copy sets.
When such electronically sorted copying is performed by a conventional device, the number of copies cannot be changed once the machine begins scanning or printing of a document even if a user desires to do so. Conventionally, to make more copies after the scanning or printing operation has begun, a user must wait until after all copies have been printed out. The user then specifies additional copies, and scanning of the document and printing of reproductions must be carried out once more. If a user wants to make fewer copies, he or she must stop the automatic electronically sorted copying operation, subtract the number of copies already made from the number of copies now desired, reset the number of copies to be made to the new number, and then restart the process of scanning and printing the document once again.
Similarly, when performing facsimile transmission in a conventional facsimile machine or multifunction digital facsimile/copying machine, a user may want to send the same information to different destinations. To do so, conventionally, the document must be reloaded, a new different destination specified, and scanning and transmission performed each time the document is to be transmitted to the new destination. Also, when sending a document to a destination to which a user desires to send another transmission, the user must redial the destination before sending the new transmission. Resending of, the same information to the same destination is required, for example, when the line is busy at the first transmission.
Additionally, in a conventional multifunction digital machine, when a user performing facsimile transmission desires to print out the document being sent, the user has no choice but to copy the document anew. And when a user performing electronically sorted copying wants to send the same data via facsimile transmission, he or she also has no choice but to perform sorted copying and transmission separately.
Thus, in a conventional digital processing apparatus, the processing conditions cannot be changed during execution of a job (either facsimile transmission or copying). In order to change operations, the function currently being performed must be temporarily halted, and a desired processing should be done from the beginning.
In order to solve these problems, it is an object of the present invention to provide a digital processing apparatus in which operations can be changed or altered even when there is a function currently being executed.
To accomplish this object, the present invention provides a digital processing apparatus including a processing means for executing one or more functions, and an operating means for specifying processing conditions to the processing means and instructing the processing means to execute a certain process under a particular condition, characterized in that the operating means is capable of specifying changed settings of an operation while a function is being executed by the processing means, and the processing means, upon specification of the changed settings from the operating means during execution of a function, continues to execute the function according to the changed settings.
For example, when the processing means is capable of executing an electronically sorted copying function for a specified number of copies, the operating means can, while the electronically sorted copying function is being executed by the processing means, specify a reduced number of copies. When the processing means, while executing the electronically sorted copying function, receives instructions reducing the number of copies, it resets the processing conditions to the reduced number of copies as instructed, and continues executing the electronically sorted copying function accordingly. Thus, when the number of copies is reduced, the need to halt the electronically sorted copying function and restart the process from the beginning is eliminated; only the new number of copies need be specified, and processing can continue uninterrupted.
When the processing means is capable of executing a facsimile communication function and a printing function from a memory, the operating means can, while the processing means is executing a facsimile communication function, specify changed settings, instructing the processing means to perform a printing function. Specifically, when the processing means, while executing the facsimile transmission function, receives the instructions to perform the printing function, either the data being transmitted or the data that has been transmitted can be printed out either while the facsimile transmission function is being performed or after the transmission function has been completed. Thus, an image to be transmitted can be printed out via a printer or the like while facsimile transmission is being performed. Unlike the conventional machines, the document need not be rescanned for printing.
When the processing means is capable of executing a facsimile transmission function and an electronically sorted copying function, the operating means can, while an electronically sorted copying function is being executed by the processing means, specify changed settings, instructing the processing means to perform a facsimile transmission function. When the processing means, while executing the electronically sorted copying function, receives instructions to perform the added facsimile transmission function, either while continuing to perform the electronically sorted copying function or after completing such function, it transmits via facsimile either data being copied or data that has been copied. Thus the document being copied can be transmitted via facsimile while the copying function is being performed, and the document need not be rescanned, as is the case in conventional devices.
When the processing means is capable of executing a facsimile transmission function, the operating means can, while a facsimile transmission function is being executed by the processing means, specify an additional document to be transmitted to the same recipient as the recipient of the current facsimile transmission, or can specify an additional recipient of the same data. When the processing means, while transmitting facsimile data to a certain recipient, receives instructions to transmit an additional document to the same recipient, the additional document is transmitted to the same recipient without disconnecting the line after transmission of the first document image is completed. Thus, the additional document can be sent continuously over the same connection without redialing the recipient. When the processing means receives instructions for transmission of the same data to a new recipient, the same data can be transmitted to the specified recipient after facsimile transmission to the first recipient is completed. Thus, when a user wants to send the same data to a different recipient, he or she can transmit the data without having to rescan the document.